Carding machine drive having antifriction guide means for separating the opposed reaches of crossed belts therein



Aug. 13, 1968 E. F. ROBINSON CARDING MACHINE DRIVE HAVING ANTIFRICTION GUIDE MEANS FOR SEPARATING THE OPPOSED BEACHES OF CROSSED BELTS THEREIN Filed Aprll 8 1966 OJ .2 Z

United States Patent CARDING MACHINE DRIVE HAVING ANTI- FRICTION GUIDE MEANS FOR SEPARATING THE OPPOSED REACHES OF CROSSED BELTS THEREIN Elvin F. Robinson, 1533 S. Patricia St., Gastonia, N.C. 28052 Filed Apr. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 541,296 4 Claims. (CI. 19-98) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carding machine having drive means including drive pulleys rotatably connected by an endless crossed belt, a guide disposed between and engaging the opposed reaches of the belt at their point of crossing, and means adjustably securing the guide to the carding machine for vertical and horizontal linear adjustment, and for angular adjustment about a substantially horizontal axis to space apart the reaches of the belt, reduce frictional wear of the belt, and guide the belt in proper tracking relation with the pulleys.

This invention relates to textile carding machines and more particularly to improved drive means therefor in corporating a unique antifriction guide means for separating opposed reaches of crossed belts associated with such drive means.

In the normal operation of a textile carding machine, cotton fibers in web form are introduced, by a feed roll or rolls, to a lickerin cylinder, from which they transfer onto a main card cylinder where the fibers are carded, then removed or doffed from the main cylinder by a dofier cylinder from which they pass in the form of a thin web and are usually condensed into a sliver and collected in a coiler can. The main cylinder is rotated by a prime mover and rotation is transmitted from the main cylinder to the lickerin and dotfer cylinders by pulleys and interconnecting pliable endless belts. Generally, pulleys and an endless belt connect the main cylinder shaft to the lickerin cylinder shaft and the lickerin cylinder shaft is connected by other pulleys and an endless belt to a drive shaft operatively associated with the doffer cylinder. Because the direction of rotation of the main cylinder is opposite from that of the lickerin and doffer cylinders, the

, belts transmitting power therebetween usually are crossed to reverse the direction of rotation of the corresponding pulleys.

In crossed-belt drives, the belts tend to wear excessively at the crossing points of the reaches of the belts due to frictional interengagement of the reaches as they move with respect to each other. Contact of the reaches at their crossing points also causes the belts to track unevenly on the corresponding pulleys and to sometimes become disengaged therefrom. To maintain the belts on their associated pulleys, the belt-engaging peripheral surface of each pulley sometimes has flanged outer edges which retain the belt on the periphery of the pulley. However, the flanges increase the wear on the edges of the belt and belt life is consequently shortened.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a carding machine having crossedbelt drive systems with novel means for eliminating excessive belt wear and for providing a more uniform tracking of the belts over the peripheral surfaces of their associated pulleys.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel antifriction guide which extends between the crossing point of opposing reaches of a crossed belt used in a carding machine to space the reaches apart and thus greatly reduce belt wear and improve the tracking of the belt on its respective pulleys.

3,396,432 Patented Aug. 13, 1968 ice It is an additional object of the present invention to provide mounting means for the guide which enables the guide to be positionally adjusted with respect to the belt with which it is associated.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the feed end of a carding machine incorporating a novel antifriction device of the present invention to space apart the reaches of a crossed belt connecting a pulley on the main cylinder drive shaft to a pulley on the lickerin cylinder shaft;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the antifriction device of the present invention showing the details of its adjustable support means;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view of the antifriction device of FIGURE 1 showing the guide roller of the device positioned between the reaches of the crossed belt;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the antifriction device taken along line 44 of FIGURE 3 and showing the support bracket on which the device is mounted;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the antifriction device of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is an elevation view of the opposite side of the carding machine as seen in FIGURE 1 with major components of the carding machine shown in broken lines and showing a second antifriction device of the invention spacing apart the reaches of a crossed belt connecting a pulley on the lickerin shaft to a pulley on a drive shaft operatively associated with the dolfer cylinder.

The objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing, between the crossing point of opposed faces or reaches of a crossed belt drive assembly of a carding machine, an antifriction device which is adjustable to contact and space apart the opposed faces of the belt at an optimum angle which will prevent wear of the belt and guide the track of the belt on its associated drive pulleys.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, a carding machine, indicated generally at 11, is supported by a card support frame 12, and includes a main cylinder 13 driven by a prime mover (not shown), a lickerin cylinder 14, and a dotfer cylinder 15 (FIGURE 6). A main cylinder drive shaft 16 has a pulley 17 fixed thereon which is connected by a crossed belt 18 to a pulley 19 fixed for rotation on one end of a lickerin drive shaft 20 axially disposed in and fixed to lickerin cylinder 14. As can be seen, rotation of the main cylinder 13 in a clockwise direction transmits counterclockwise rotation to the lickerin cylinder 14 by means of crossed belt 18 and pulleys 17, 19. Mounted on the main body of the card support frame 12 is a support bracket 12a of the frame which extends horizontally outward from the main body of the frame and carries a conventional shaft 12b which drives the feed rolls (not shown) from the doifer cylinders.

An adjustable antifriction device for separating the reaches of belt 13 is mounted on bracket 12a because of the proximate location of the bracket 12a to the crossing point of the belt 18. As seen in FIGURE 6, another adjustable antifriction device 30' is suitably mounted on an outwardly extending bracket portion of the support frame 12 for separating the crossed reaches of a belt 21 which drivingly connects a pulley 22 fixed on lickerin drive shaft 20 and a pulley 23 fixed on a shaft 24 which is operatively connected by gears (not shown) to the doifer cylinder 15 to inpart rotation thereto. Thus as viewed in FIGURE 6, clockwise rotation of the lickerin shaft pulley 22 imparts counterclockwise rotation to the pulley 23 to rotate the doifer cylinder 15 in the same direction as the lickerin cylinder 14, but in the opposite direction to the main cylinder 13.

The antifriction device 3!) is shown in detail in FIG- URES 2-5. Antifn'ction device 30' may be identical to antifriction device 30, and therefore, will not be described in detail. It will be observed in FIGURES 2 and 3 that the antifriction device 30 comprises a first member composed of an upstanding plate 41 having elongate slots 42, 42 therein. Plate 41 is adjustably secured, with the slots 42, 42 extending in a substantially vertical direction, to the shaft support bracket 12a of FIGURE 1 by suitable fastening means such as a pair of bolts 43, 43' (FIGURE 4) which extend through the elongate slots 42, 42 and are suitably fastened in apertures of the bracket 12a. Adjustably attached to the upper end of the upstanding plate 41 by suitable fastening means, shown as a bolt 45, is a second member composed of a flanged arm plate or angle bracket 46 which extends at a substantially right angle from upstanding plate 41 and has an elongate slot 47 therein.

A friction reducing guide shown as an upstanding cylindrical roller 50, is rotatably mounted on a roller shaft 53 which has a lower end portion extending through elongate slot 47. A washer or collar 54 is carried on the shaft 53 above its lower end and rests on the upper surface of arm plate 46.

The lower end portion of shaft 53 is threaded and extends through the slot 47, and is adjustably secured by a nut 55, to the arm plate to permit movement of the roller 50 along the slot 47. Upstanding plate 41, arm plate 46, roller shaft 53, and their associated fastening elements cooperate to provide means for adjustably securing the belt-guiding roller 50 to the support bracket 12a of the frame 12 for vertical, horizontal and angular movement.

In FIGURES 35, the antifriction device is shown with the guide roller 50 positioned between and in belt-enga ing relation with the opposed faces of reaches 60, 61 of the drive belt 18 at their point of crossing. Linear movement of the reaches 60, 61 causes rotation of the roller 50, and the roller is positioned so as to prevent the opposed reaches from engaging each other, thus reducing frictional wear on the belt itself. By eliminating contact of the reaches of the belt, vibration of the reaches is reduced thereby improving the tracking of the belt over the peripheral surfaces of its associated pulleys 17 and 19.

Because the axis of rotation of pulley 19 is at a higher elevation than the axis of rotation of pulley 17 (FIGURE 1) and because of the difference in the size of the two pulleys, arm plate 46 preferably extends from upstanding plate 41 slightly below a horizontal position and the reaches 60 and 61 are not disrupted by contact with the arm plate 46 (FIGURE 3).

To aid in control of the track of the belt over the pulleys, arm plate 46 or slot 47 therein preferably extends from the upstanding plate 41 at a small angle, e.g., 1015 degrees, toward the support frame 12 (FIGURE Thus, by moving roller 50 in one direction along the elongate slot 47 in the arm plate 46, more pressure may be applied to one reach of the belt than the other, and vice versa.

Vertical adjustment of the antifriction device 30 is accomplished by loosening the bolts 43, 43' which secure the upstanding plate 41 to the support bracket 12a in a fixed position thereon so the plate 41 may be moved relative to the bolts. By loosening the nut on bolt 45, the arm plate 46 may be angularly or pivotally adjusted about a substantially horizontal axis (bolt 45) generally parallel to the reaches of the belt, after which the nut is tightened on bolt 45. This pivotal adjustment permits pressure to be applied simultaneously to the top portion of either of the reaches of the belt and the bottom portion of the opposing reach and aids the track of the belt on the pulleys. By loosening the fastening means 55 at the base of the roller shalft 53, the cylindrical roller 50 may be adjusted along slot 47 in the arm plate 46 and thus generally along the reaches of the belt. When either the arm plate 46 or the elongate slot 47 extends at a small angle from the upstanding plate 41 toward the support frame 12, as aforementioned, movement of the cylindrical roller 50 along the slot 47 applies greater pressure to one or the other of the reaches of the belt.

By means of the unique combination of elements which make up the adjustable mounting means supporting the guide of the present invention, the guide roller contacting opposed faces or reaches of each crossed-belt drive of a carding machine can be adjusted vertically, horizontally and angularly and thus be positioned so as to eliminate contact of the opposed reaches of the belt, to provide minimum frictional contact of the opposed faces of the belt with the roller, and to allow the belt to track undisturbed over the peripheral surfaces of its respective pulleys.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a carding machine having a frame, a lickerin cylinder, a main cylinder, and a doifer cylinder carried by said frame, said lickerin cylinder and said main cylinder including respective first and second axially disposed shafts rotatable therewith, and a third shaft operatively connected to said doifer cylinder, drive means comprising a first pulley fixed on said first shaft, a second pulley fixed on at least one of the other of said shafts, an endless belt engaging said first and second pulleys for transmitting rotation from one of the pulleys to the other of the pulleys, said belt having opposed crossed reaches between said first and second pulleys; the combination therewith of a guide disposed between and engaging the opposed crossed reaches of the belt at their point of crossing, said guide comprising a freely rotatable cylindrical roller, the peripheral surface of which contacts the proximal surfaces of said opposed reaches at their point of crossing and is rotated thereby during movement of said belt, said guide serving to space the opposed reaches apart from each other and to reduce frictional wear on the belt, said guide also being positioned so as to aid in guiding the belt in proper tracking relation to said first and second pulleys, and means adjustably securing said guide to said frame for vertical and horizontal linear adjustment and for angular adjustment about a substantially horizontal axis, said securing means including (a) a first member adjustably attached to said frame for vertical adjustment thereon,

(b) a second member extending at a substantially right angle from said first member and attached thereto for angular movement about an axis extending in substantially the same direction as said second member, and

(c) a roller shaft attached to said second member for adjustment along said second member substantially in said same direction, said roller shaftextending substantially perpendicularly from said second member, and said cylindrical roller being rotatably mounted on said roller shaft.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said second member extends generally along the reaches of the belt at their point of crossing so that angular adjustment thereof about said axis causes said roller simultaneously to exert a greater pressure on the upper portion of one reach of the belt and the lower portion of the other reach of the belt to guide the belt in tracking relation on said first and second pulleys.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said second member extends at a small angle to the longitudinal direction of the reaches of the belt whereby adjustment of said roller shaft along said second member causes displacement of said roller transversely to the reaches of the belt to aid in guiding the belt in proper tracking relation on said first and second pulleys.

4. In a carding machine having a frame, a lickerin cylinder, :1 main cylinder, and a doifer cylinder carried by said fame, said lickerin cylinder and said main cylinder including respective first and second axially disposed shafts rotatable therewith, and a third shaft operatively connected to said dotfer cylinder, drive means comprising a first pulley fixed on said first shaft, a second pulley fixed on at least one of the other of said shafts, an endless belt engaging said first and second pulleys for transmitting rotation from one of the pulleys to the other of the pulleys, said belt having opposed crossed reaches between said first and second pulleys; the combination therewith of a guide disposed between and engaging the opposed crossed reaches of the belt at their point of crossing, said guide comprising a freely rotatable cylindrical roller, the peripheral surface of which contacts the proximal surfaces of said opposed reaches at their point of crossing and is rotated thereby during movement of said belt, said guide serving to space the opposed reaches apart from each other and to reduce frictional wear on the belt, said guide also being positioned so as to aid in guiding the belt in proper tracking relation to said first and second pulleys, and means adjustably securing said guide to said frame for vertical and horizontal linear adjustment and :for angular adjustment about a substantially horizontal axis, said securing means including (a) a first member having an elongate slot therein and first fastening means penetrating said slot for adjustably securing said first member to said frame, (b) a second member extending at a substantially right angle from said first member and having an elongate slot therein and second fastening means securing said second member to said first member for angular movement about an axis extending in substantially the same direction as said second member, and (c) a roller shaft extending substantially perpendicularly from said second member adapted to rotatably support said cylindrical roller, and third fastening means cooperating with said roller shaft to secure said shaft to said second member for adjustment along the elongate slot in said second member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 360,992 4/1887 Brown 74-240 1,061,327 5/1913 Rooney 19105 1,541,718 6/1925 Kilmer 74-240 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

DORSEY NEWTON, Assistant Examiner. 

